Oswego, NY, June 05, 2009 - The Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Steward and Salmon River Steward Program has hired six college students for the 2009 season. New York Sea Grant coordinates the Steward Program in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and The Nature Conservancy. The 2009 stewards were hired from a pool of nearly 50 students from colleges and universities across the country.

Greg Chapman of East Concord, NY, is returning as Chief Steward. Look for Greg at Sandy Pond Beach Natural Area. Greg is a sophomore at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), where he will major in conservation biology. Greg enjoys hiking and photography.

Stacy Furgal will be a junior at SUNY ESF majoring in fisheries and aquatic science in the fall. She returns this season as the Deer Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA) steward. Stacy is an Oswego County native from Williamstown and an avid outdoorswoman.

Paul Dawson, an Oswego County native from Mexico, will be a senior at SUNY ESF where he studies natural resource management. Paul enjoys flyfishing, backpacking, and canoeing. Paul plays rugby for Syracuse University when he’s not on duty as Lakeview WMA Steward.

Elizabeth Wolff returns in 2009 to Black Pond WMA/El Dorado Nature Preserve. She is graduating with a degree in professional writing from SUNY Cortland, where she competed as a cross-country runner. Although Liz hails from Syracuse, she spends her summers along Eastern Lake Ontario in Ellisburg in Jefferson County.

Jim Katz, a senior at SUNY Cortland studying biology, will be a Salmon River Steward this summer. In his spare time, he enjoys birding, mountain biking, fishing, and Tae Kwon Do. Jim joins the program from Syracuse and has an interest in conservation biology.

Emily Freeman, an Oswego County native from West Monroe, will be a senior at SUNY ESF majoring in environmental studies. When not monitoring the Salmon River corridor, she enjoys wakeboarding, geocaching, hiking, and camping.

Mary Penney of New York Sea Grant, Oswego, returns for her fourth season as Eastern Lake Ontario Dune/Salmon River Steward Program Coordinator.

Penney notes, “This year the Steward Program may be seeking candidates to work as Salmon River corridor stewards for the fall academic semester. Anyone interested in the jobs should contact the New York Sea Grant Oswego office at 315-312-3042.”

For Steward Program information or dates and details on the free steward-guided programs this summer and fall, call 312-3042 or check the web at www.nysgdunes.org.